Wet-ice display container



Sept. 3, 1968 R. R. KUNS T 3,399,546

WET-ICE DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed Nov. 8, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORSRoger R. Kuns Nelson Orwig i w cbw/ ATTORNEY Sept. 3, 1968 R. R. KuNsETA 3,399,546

WET-ICE DISPLAY CONTAINER Filed Nov. 8. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORSRoger R. Kuns Nelson Orwig MTTORNEY United States Patent 0.

3,399,546 WET-ICE DISPLAY CONTAINER Roger R. Kuns, Bellevue, and NelsonOrwig, Sandusky,

Ohio, assignors to West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, New York, N.Y.,a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 592,881 8 Claims.(Cl. 62-371) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A portable refrigerating displaycontainer is presented which employs as separate and distinct elements,a combination product and refrigerant tray; a water box for catching andretaining the refrigerant effluent; a base member for surrounding thevarious elements; and, a partition element which gives the baseintegrity, supports the product and refrigerant tray, and locates thewater box.

This invention relates to a display device and has to do with a portablecontainer for displaying for sale refrigerated products away from thetypical dairy case.

It is well known to provide in stores or markets dealing in comestibles,open top refrigerated containers for the display and sale of foods. Suchcontainers, however, are usually permanently installed at predeterminedlocations, are connected to stationary refrigeration means, and are ofsubstantial weight. In many food stores it frequently is desirable topromote a certain refrigerated article either by means of a specialdisplay or special sale. It is important, then, in order to carry outthe purpose, that the article being promoted be placed in a strategiclocation while being effectively refrigerated to maintain it in awholesome and attractive condition. The presently known refrigeratedcontainers are obviously not readily portable and are not suitable forspecial display purposes at different selected locations. Our inventiontherefore is designed to overcome the above deficiencies and to providea display cabinet for comestible articles which is atractive inappearance, of comparatively light weight, is effectively refrigeratedand requires a minimum amount of attention. The display container of ourinvention is constructed of corrugated paperboard with resultant lowcost and light weight, and possesses adequate mechanical strength forits intended use. The elements of the container are so constructed andarranged that they can be set up or assembled with expedition andfacility and as readily disassembled and, when disassembled, can befolded flat so as to occupy but little space, for shipment or storage.

The display container specifically employs the use of wet icerefrigerant and comprises five basic elements. The outer part of thecontainer is in the form of an open top base member into which isinserted a suitable partition element designed to maintain the integrityof the container in the assembled condition and support the producttray. The display container further comprises a plastic lined water boxadapted to fit inside the partition element beneath the product tray andcollect the water runoff from the wet ice refrigerant. The otherelements of the container are the product tray itself which houses boththe wet ice refrigerant and the product, and a riser card which issecured to the base element and provides space for advertisements or thelike.

The description will be more readily understood by referring to theaccompanying drawings and more detailed description.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the assembled display container;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the partition element to be placed inthe base member;

3,399,546 Patented Sept. 3, 1968 ice b FIGURE 3 is a detail view of theplastic lined water FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the water boxpartially assembled between the partition; and

FIGURE 5 is a detail of the product tray.

. The container of our invention includes a body or open top corrugatedbase member 10 which comprises four side panels 12 and a bottom formedfrom four flaps. The base member is erected by folding the four bottomflaps inward to a squared position, and then fixing the top of the baseby folding over small lip elements 14 provided therefor to give the open.top a smooth upper edge. The riser card 11 is shown attached at theupper edge of base member 10. In the preferred embodiment the basemember 10 is cut, scored and pre-formed' prior to shipment to the user.It is shipped in a folded condition which then requires only the simplesteps outlined above for assembly.

The partition element generally designated 16 and shown assembled inFIGURE 2 includes two straight pieces of corrugated board 18, 20 whichextend from one side of the base member to the other, and two V Shapedpieces 22, 24 which interlock by means of complementing cuts along line25 with the straight pieces 18, 20 to form a unitary partition elementin the assembled condition. The respective pieces are shipped to theuser in a flattened and inerlocked condition for assembly at the pointof us. After assembly of the partition element 16, it is placed insidethe base member in such a manner that the curved upper edges of eachpiece of corrugated board is located at the top of the base. Thisfeature allows the bottom of the product tray to assume a dishedconfiguration when loaded to enhance the run-off of the refrigerantefiluent. The various pieces of corrugated board forming the partitionelement 16 are pre-cut and scored for easy assembly and are of anoverall height which is less than the height of the base member whichallows space at the top of the base member for the placement of theproduct tray. As shown in FIGURE 2, the partition element 16 is arrangedin its erected condition so as to provide a space in the center of thepartition into which the plastic lined water box is inserted. With thepartition element 16 thus assembled and placed in the base member 10, astructure is realized which keeps the base member in an extendedposition.

Water box 26, illustrated in FIGURE 3, is preferably a wax-impregnatedcorrugated box which is shipped to the user in a folded, flat condition.The water box is precut, formed and scored to allow easy assembly at thepoint of use. It is erected by pushing down at its center until thebottom is fiat. The water box is shipped to the user pre-lined with aplastic bag 28 and when assembled is placed into the center of thepartition element where it is securely held as shown in FIGURE 4. Thewater box 26 and partition element 16 are of the same height so thatspace remains inside the base at the top for the product tray, and thewater box is accordingly positioned to catch and retain the efiluentfrom the refrigerant in the product tray.

FIGURE 5 shows in detail the construction of the refrigerant housing andproduct tray. This element 30 is also preferably a wax-impregnatedcorrugated construction which is pre-cut, formed and scored at thefactory and shipped to the user in a flattened form. Drain holes 31 areprovided in the bottom center of the product tray to allow run-off ofthe refrigerant effluent and hand hole cut-outs 32 are located in eachside panel to enable the product tray 30 to be removed from the displaywhen the water box 26 requires emptying. In actual practice the producttray 30 may be kept full of ice without emptying the water from thewater box 26 for up to one week. Since the ice is generally separatedfrom the water the ice lasts longer.

to 53 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately six days. A

preferred embodiment of the display includes a base member 10 measuring26 x 18 inches, thus giving a compact yet efficient display which shouldresult in more volume and profit for the user. A unit of the sizementioned above can hold as much as 20 pounds of ice and the plastic bag28 can hold more water than would be generated during a six day period.It should be noted that the wet-ice display requires neither electricitynor constant attention- Only daily servicing with ice being necessary.

As a final step in the assembly of the display container of ourinvention, the riser card 33 shown in FIGURE 1 is attached to the basemember in any well known manner. Preferably the riser card is shipped tothe user with pre-cut tongue members at its bottom to enable quick andeasy assembly with cooperating slots 34 in the base member 10.

It will be appreciated, then, by one skilled in the art, that we haveinvented a new and unique corrugated point of purchase display whichuses wet ice as its refrigerant. The display increases the opportunityfor tying in displays of dairy items with products usually merchandisedaway from the typical dairy case.

As previously noted, the partition element 16 (FIG- URE 2), water box 26and product tray effectively maintain the base member 10 of thecontainer in its extended set up condition. The partition element andwater box when assembled fit completely inside the base member leavingspace at the top thereof for placement of the product tray. In thatmanner the product tray rests squarely on the partition element andwater box, the perforations in the product tray being oriented directlyover the plastic lined water box. The display container is accordinglywell suited for supporting heavy loads. Further by transmitting the loaddirectly to the base member, the latter is stabilized by the load so asto reduce the possibility of tipping over the cabinet in the event ofits being knocked against inadvertently.

It will be clear, from what has been said, that the various elements ofthe display container, including the base member, may all be foldedfiatwise so as to occupy but little space for convenience in eitherstorage or for shipment. The complete display container whendisassembled and folded, may readily be shipped in an appropriatecontainer of moderate size and, being formed of corrugated paperboard,is comparatively light and well suited for shipment. The various partsof the display container are not permanently secured together, but onthe contrary, are held in position by frictional engagement, and, ingeneral, may readily be set up and assembled to produce the completedisplay container, and as readily disassembled and folded flatwise forstorage or shipment.

The specific details of construction may be considerably varied fromthose herein shown and described without involving any departure fromthe principle of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantagesinherent therein. Hence, the present embodiment is to be consideredmerely illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the inventionbeing indicated by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A portable refrigerating display container comprising, an open topbase member, a corrugated board partition element for retaining saidbase extended in an assembled condition, a combination product andrefrigerant tray assembled in the upper part of said base member forhousing a product and refrigerant, and a separate box means for catchingand storing the refrigerant effluent assembled in the lower part of saidbase member.

2. The display container of claim 1 wherein said partition elementcomprises two V-shaped pieces of corrugated board and two straightpieces of corrugated board frictionally interlocked together by means ofcomplementing cuts to support the said product and refrigerant tray andlocate the refrigerant effluent storing means.

3. The display container of claim 2 wherein said combination product andrefrigerant tray comprises a waximpregnated corrugated structure whichrests on top of said partition element. I

4. The display container of claim 3 wherein said combination product andrefrigerant tray further has drain hoies in the bottom thereof andcontains hand hole cutouts in the side panels thereof.

5. The display container of claim 2 wherein said pieces of corrugatedboard each have a curved upper edge which allows the bottom of saidproduct and refrigerant tray to assume a dished configuration to enhancethe run-01f of the refrigerant effiuent.

6. The display container of claim 2 wherein said separate box means forcatching and storing the refrigerant effluent is wax-impregnated and issecurely held in position inside said partition element.

7. The display container of claim 6 further comprising a plastic bag forlining the inside of said refrigerant efiluent catching and storingmeans.

8. A portable refrigerating display container comprismg: l

(a) an open top corrugated board base member;

(b) a partition element formed from frictionally interlocked pieces ofcorrugated board and placed inside said base member;

(c) a product and refrigerant tray including wet ice refrigerant anddrain holes located inside said base member to rest on said partitionelement, and

(d) a plastic lined water box positioned beneath said refrigerant trapinside said base member to catch and store the wet ice refrigerantrun-off.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,673,621 6/1928 Ehrlich 625292,734,349 2/1956 Repking et al 62-372 2,786,339 3/1957 Roberts 62-457XFOREIGN PATENTS 1,032,683 7/1953 France.

ROBERT A. OLEARY, Primary Examiner. W. E. WAYNER, Assistant Examiner.

